Boat oar causes spill at Refugio wastewater plant

By
Sara Sneath
April 23, 2014 at 3:03 p.m.Updated April 22, 2014 at 11:23 p.m.

The city of Refugio wastewater treatment facility spilled 100,000 gallons of domestic wastewater when a boat oar got caught in the facility's sewage line.

The site of the spill is at the wastewater plant in an area not accessible to the public, according to a news release.

The public's health is not at risk, said Refugio Mayor Joey Heard.

The oar that caused the spill came from a boat used by city employees to do maintenance on eight aerators in a basin that is 17 feet deep and 60 feet around, Heard said. Surface aerators provide oxygen to bacteria, which digest waste, by shooting out streams of air.

The spill occurred Tuesday morning and was still being cleaned up Wednesday night, Heard said. Because of state guidelines, the city has to notify the public about the spill.